Constipation is considered one of the most common diseases in pets, especially cats. Most importantly, this disease is mild and can be treated by using a laxative for cats. However, constipation, sometimes, can cause serious health problems for your cat.
Before going into deep details, let’s explain about symptoms and causes of constipation in cats. This way, you can easily judge what solutions work best in treating cat constipation. Here are the symptoms of cat constipation.
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Constipation Symptoms in Cats:
Generally, the vet refers to constipation as infrequent stools. It’s also referred to as stools that are hard to pass or your cat feels difficulty in pouring out stool. According to the experts, some cats use to poop after every 24 to 36 hours.
Your cat might have constipation if she’s finding it difficult to poop and she poops less frequently. Following this, you might be confused about when to consult your vet. Expert says you need to visit your nearest vet if your cat does not poop within 72 hours without any bowel movement.
For your ease, here are normal symptoms of constipation in cats:
- Hard and dry stool
- Straining or crying in the litter box.
- Your cat might be uncomfortable in the litter box.
Furthermore, constipation may refer to some other diseases. Along with constipation, you might be able to observe the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Decreased appetite
- Nausea
- Walking stiffly
- Muscle loss
- Peeing more
- Drinking less or more water
- Loss of weight
- Your cat might find it difficult to jump up.
- Hiding
You might observe either all or a few of these symptoms along with constipation. In such a case, you need to consult your vet and let him/her know about all symptoms.
What causes constipation in cats?
According to well-reputed vets, “ Anything that results in dehydration can cause constipation in cats.” Moreover, some health issues are mild and it’s easier to treat them at home with a moderate diet. Similarly, some may lead to serious health issues.
Constipation can occur if your cat has less bowel movement and your cat gives moist and soft stool. This may also lead to some serious issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, stress, anxiety, nerve problems, and allergies, and some type of cancer.
Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, impacted or ruptured anal sacs, and kidney disease may also result in constipation. It’s said, constipation is common in cats that eat dry food frequently.
Your cat will have to get affected by constipation if she/he is holding stool longer than usual. This happens when your cat’s intestines absorb more water when stool sits in them for a longer time. One of the main reasons for this includes stress and anxiety, obesity, anal gland issues, pain from arthritis, a blockage, and some common types of cancer.
I hope, you have got enough information on constipation. If your cat is affected by constipation then here are vet recommended laxatives for cats that can help your cat to recover from constipation.
Laxative For Cats:
Generally, laxatives for cats are grouped into two different categories including stimulant laxatives and bulk-forming laxatives. We have discussed 6 laxatives that you can use to treat constipation in cats. Let’s get started.
Stimulant Laxatives for Cats:
Stimulant laxatives are perfect for your cat if she/he is having some type of digestion issues. These laxatives are used to lubricate the digestive tract of your cat. This makes it easy for your cat to pass the stool. Experts recommend this type of laxative when your cat’s hairballs lead to constipation. Here are three common stimulant laxatives:
- Lax’aire:
This stimulant laxative consists of petrolatum for lubricating the intestinal tract of your cat. Lax’aire also contains cod liver oil which makes it a laxative. Other ingredients include peptonized iron and soybean oil. Your cat will surely love to have lax’aire because of added cod liver oil.
- Sentry HC Petromalt:
The Sentry HC Petronalt contains glycerin, petrolatum, mineral oil, and several other ingredients to lubricate the digestive tracts and to break up the hairballs. This stimulant laxative for cat features a corn syrup. Therefore, it may not be suitable for cats that have diabetes or are allergic to corn.
- Laxatone:
Laxatone is one of the best products that is highly recommended by vets. It’s a useful stimulant laxative for the treatment of constipation that is caused because of ingesting fur. Laxatone comes in different varieties including catnip, malt-flavored, and tuna. The ingredients include USP, a combination of white petroleum, soybean oil, light mineral oil, and other ingredients for treating constipation.
As this laxative comes in different flavors, Laxatone Natural is perfect for cats if you have concerns about giving petroleum to your cats. This flavor features cod lover, vegetable, soybean, beeswax, and flaxseed oils for treating constipation and lubrication.
Bulk Forming Laxatives for Cats:
This type of laxative for cats is known for absorbing water and softening the hard and dry feces. This helps cats in passing stool with ease. The bulk-forming laxatives for cats promote frequent stools to lower the chance of constipation.
- Metamucil for cats:
The Metamucil for cats is suitable for cats that have frequent constipation issues. According to the experts, you need to add at least one teaspoon of Metamucil to your cat’s diet. Moreover, you must make sure that your cat drinks more water when she is having Metamucil in her regimen.
- Lactulose:
Lactulose is more like a liquid laxative that is often prescribed to soften your cat’s stool. This laxative for cats is used for the treatment of megacolon in cats. It also helps cats in reducing the chances of liver disease.
- Vetasyl:
If you’re looking for an over the counter constipation remedy then you should consider Vetasyl. It’s a combination of barley malt extract powder and psyllium. This natural product is free from any type of preservative and chemical that might be toxic for your cat. This laxative can be given to your cat with wet cat food. Similarly, your cat should drink plenty of fresh water for good results.
Final Verdict
Now, it’s time to wrap up our guide about laxative for cats. No doubt, constipation can lead to very serious health issues. To treat constipation in cats, you can use any of the above-mentioned laxatives. Please do let us know about your cat’s current health status and which laxative, you think, will work best.